[iLOVEnanos]

So my 10 gallon is all cycled and ready to go! Now I am having a hard time deciding what to put in it! I am hoping for a school of nano fish, with maybe one centerpiece fish and some shrimp or otos.

The tank has light sand as a substrate (which I hate), but is pretty heavily planted, with mosses, anubias, java ferns, crypts, watersprite, etc. All of my tanks have had black substrate so I am having a tough time deciding what fish will look good on the light sand. Below are some I was thinking of...

Ember Tetras - actually found some locally!
Chili Rasboras
Celestial Pearl Danios
Rummynosed Tetras - found locally, but not sure if a 10 gallon is to small? I am aware if I went with them, no other fish would fit.

If I did any of these, could a sparkling gourami or scarlet badis be compatible as a "centerpiece" fish? Or maybe even a CPO for something different?

 

[Dina-Angel]

I like the Chili Rasboras, even tho i don't know much about them... They look neat

 

[I<3<*))))><]

My vote is for the Chili Rasboras, I was gonna add some in my Flora, but I think I'm full of fish now, lol. They're beautiful fish!

And yes, they'd be perfectly fine with Sparkling Gouramis or Scarlet Badis. Scarlet Badis are what I have in mine, that and corys.

 

[Axelrodi202]

CPD's don't really school. If anything they behave somewhat similarly to scarlet badis. A 10 gallon is too small for rummynoses. Either one of the first two is your best bet.

 

[EddyBearr]

Light sand, I'd probably say Chili Rasbora.

I've heard that red makes you more sensitive to light, so the light pollution from the sand might not have as profound an effect.

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Well I went back to look and ended up coming home with 12 ember tetras. Wholly cow are they teeny tiny! I have them drip acclimating now along with 8 freebie MTS snails

I almost came home with a CPO or one lonely Pygmy Cory but the CPO was very pale and big, so I was guessing on his last leg or mislabeled. The one Pygmy Cory was VERY cute. They are even cuter in person than pics, but I wanted to see if they will get more in. Not sure if I can fit much more in a 10 gallon than the 12 embers.

Hope they settle in ok. They got pretty pale on the way home. Off to stare at them and play on aqadvisor to see who else may or may not fit!

 

[iLOVEnanos]

Oh and I have an evolve 8 that I may do chilis in once I have it the way I want. It is cycled but I broke it down for a rescape. I think I will do chilis and RCS in there on black substrate.

 

[blink]

CPDs will wash out something fierce on light substrate, they really do look their best on a darker substrate.

 

[Aymo]

I adore my Ember Tetras. They are a great fish if you prefer neutral colors that blend well with your plants. I got them because they're aren't too brightly colored. I love how they make my "indoor garden" of an aquarium look alive and very natural. (96 liters with 23 embers, 7 panda cories)

Keep in mind, however, that they tend to stay lower than other tetras. Mine, despite having lots of plant cover, are always hanging out in the mid-to-lower section. They won't even swim to the top for food, but eat what is kicked up by my corydoras.

 

[iLOVEnanos]

So far I am LOVING the Embers! They have started to color up already, and within not even a day here, look better than they did in the pet store! They ate some crumbled flakes this am and seem very happy!

The 8 free MTS on the other hand haven't come out of their shells at all. Hope they are alive still. I put them all in a floating breeder box and put a small piece of Repashy Solient Green in with them, but no one even came out to check out the food. The tank is totally cycled. I wonder if I have copper in my water from the pipes? I seem to have the worst luck with any inverts I am going to order a Copper Test Kit today. So far I have never had an invert live for more than a few weeks in any of my tanks. Is there anything else I should be testing? All tanks are low tech, no ferts or anything. Not sure what could be killing them all?

I am also still trying to decide what else to add in a week or so....trying to decide if I should try some Neos again, or maybe a small school of habrosus or pygmy cories? I would love to try a sparkling gourami, but not sure if they are to aggressive to go with the Embers?

 

[Betta132]

I used to have a sparkling gourami, and mine was very peaceful, but it can vary.
Habrosus or pygmy cories need at least 6 fish to a school or they get stressed. Depending on how heavily that tank is planted, you could probably manage eight to ten, as they get to a hair over half an inch most of the time. The biggest ones I've ever seen were a smidge under an inch long, and they were huge for pygmies.